Submitted by Neal Murphy

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Neal Murphy

December 15, 2017 - In December we begin to hear many radio stations play the famous, old Christmas carols that we all love to hear. Most of these carols or hymns are very old and tell the true story of the Christmas season and the real reason for the season. One of these songs is “The Twelve Days of Christmas” which predates most of the other carols as it was first published in 1780. As examples, “Silent Night” was written around 1818, while “O Little Town of Bethlehem” was penned in 1868.

“Happy Birthday to You” by Neal Murphy

December 1, 2017 - Who among you have NOT sung the little four-line ditty to honor someone’s birthday: “Happy Birthday To You; Happy Birthday To You; Happy Birthday Dear (fill in name); Happy Birthday To You.”

According to the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records, this song is the most recognized tune in the English language, followed by “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”, and “Auld Lang Syne”, the three most popular songs in the English language. The song’s base lyrics have been translated into at least eighteen languages.

“Bury the Hatchet” by Neal Murphy

November 18, 2017 - So you and your friend have had an argument. There appears to be no solution in which each can save face. What can you do? We have all found ourselves in situations in which severe difference of opinions have resulted in total severance of contact. Perhaps the answer would be what the American Indians did, bury the hatchet. But, is this a figure of speech, or a literal action?

“The Trooper” (By Neal Murphy)

October 31, 2017 - My sister’s first husband was a barber, operating the Sanitary Barber Shop in San Augustine, Texas in the early 1950s. Robert Crosby was a good barber, with a good clientele, but he had an illness. He was bitten by the “law enforcement” bug. My sister, Evelyn, was not all too happy with Robert’s decision to sell his barber shop and enter state trooper school in Austin, Texas. However, soon after his application for the school was accepted, he was on his way to camp Mabry in Austin for several months of intense training.

“Doings in the Doctor’s Office” by Neal Murphy

July 31, 2017 - My wife, Clara, began her medical career in 1959 when she went to work for Dr. M. J. Buchele in San Augustine. She worked there several years along with Helen Farr until we moved to Houston in 1962. She then worked for several different doctors for the next twenty six years. She has the “inside scoop” of what really goes on behind the scenes in a doctor’s office.

Most of us see doctor’s offices as rather drab and usually full of sick people not on their best behavior. But, that view can be incorrect.

“The Chigger Fighter” (By Neal Murphy)

July 17, 2017 - The worst thing about the East Texas summer isn’t sunburn, heat or humidity – its chiggers. They were commonly called “red bugs” when I was growing up during the 1940’s and 1950’s. There were times when I went fishing and the next day those annoying red bumps began to appear on my legs and torso. Then the itch began, and grew in intensity. From my feet and ankles upward, and especially at those tender locations my mother told me not to scratch in public, the maddening itch took hold. The itch would last for days, and even weeks.

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